


Drunk Dial

by ReaderOfFics817



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 13:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30106638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaderOfFics817/pseuds/ReaderOfFics817
Summary: Lucy calls Tim after a little too much wine, waking him up. Fun ensues.
Relationships: Tim Bradford & Lucy Chen, Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 15
Kudos: 140





	Drunk Dial

“Lucy?” He picked up his buzzing phone glancing quick enough to know who was calling, his voice laced with sleep. 

“TIMMMM!” Lucy practically yelled through the phone. 

“Yes?” He smiled, realizing the person on the other end of the line was not the usual calm and collected woman he worked with day in and day out. This would be excellent blackmail and honestly, entertainment. 

“Oh my God. Did I wake you up?” 

“It’s okay,” He laughed, “Are you alright?” 

“I’m fabulous. Jackson and I accidentally finished off a large bottle of wine playing a drinking game to the Bachelor finale. It was terrible and now we’re both on the far side of tipsy.” 

“Sounds terrible. The trash tv part, not the drinking part. The drinking part sounds fun.” He clarified, “Where is West?” 

“Bathroom, so I stole my phone back.” 

“And why did he have your phone?” 

“I call people when I drink too much.” 

“Obviously.” He chuckled, “And you chose me as your first victim?” 

“Obviously.” She parroted with a giggle. 

It’s amazing what little things about Lucy would hit him like a train. He never thought a giggle would do it, but the sound of her laugh carrying through his phone did something to him. He wished he was right there next to her, drunk off his ass, laughing at whatever random thing she found funny. “So why me?” He entertained her drunk ramblings. 

“I like talking to you.” 

“Okay,” he laughed, “In that case, what do you want to talk about?” 

“Not gonna say you like talking to me too, Bradford? I’m hurt.” 

“I think it’s pretty obvious I like talking to you. I haven’t hung up yet, have I?” He tried to say it in is best TO voice, but in the last year since she became a P2 it had completely lost it’s affect. She knew he was all bark, that underneath his tough exterior he was a big ole softie, especially for her. He tried to hide it, but it was getting harder and harder to do so. 

“Hmmm, true.” She agreed, his words warming her. It was something that was happening more frequently, blatant affection from Tim. Which if she was sober and thought about it, is probably why she called him to begin with; things were changing between them, in a way that scared them both, but they couldn’t resist. “What were you dreaming about?” 

“What?” He asked, taken a little bit by surprise, not at the question, but the fact that he had to come up with an answer. He had been dreaming, which was rare for him, at least the fact that he could remember it vividly. He had been dreaming about her, the two of them at the beach, just walking in the sand. It was a nice dream, one he was having more frequently, and one he wished for every time he closed his eyes at night. 

“What were you dreaming about? I woke you up.” 

“Oh - uh - nothing.” He stuttered. 

“You know I know when you’re lying.” Lucy’s said, her smirk basically carrying through the phone to the point that Tim knew she wasn’t going to let this go, “Were you having a sexy dream?” She giggled. 

“No.” He laughed, “Get your head out of the gutter.” 

“It’s okay, Tim. We all have sexy dreams sometimes. Nothing to be ashamed of.” 

“I’m not - I wasn’t —“ 

“Uh hu.” She said like she didn’t believe him. 

He recovered quickly, “I really wasn’t, but glad to know you have dirty dreams, Boot.” 

“That’s not what I said.” She said, obviously embarrassed he had thrown that one back at her. 

“That’s exactly what you said.” He smiled, “So who are your dirty dreams about? Let me guess…. Smitty?” 

“OH MY GOD EW. NO.” 

“Grey? I could see you having a thing for authority.” 

“Nooooo,” she just about cackled, “He’s like sixty!” 

Suddenly Jackson appeared back in the living room, Tim hearing him through the phone, “LUCILLE CHEN WHO DID YOU CALL?! Give me that phone!” 

“No! We’re talking!” She shouted back. 

“Who?!” 

“It’s Tim.” 

“Tim Bradford?” 

“Of course. Do you know any others?” She threw back with a sassy tone. 

“You’re gonna hate yourself in the morning.” 

“Nu uh.” He heard her move around, probably getting off the couch, before speaking more directly into the phone. “Okay, you got two guesses, so now it’s my turn.” She paused, “Oh! I know! Greta in dispatch!” 

That one got Tim, he laughed, low and deep, sleep still not completely out of his voice, “Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have a grandma kink.” 

“Had to ask…hmmmm…. oh! Back in the day! Captain Anderson! She was hot.” The silence on the other end of the line was her answer. “OH MY GOD. I’M RIGHT AREN’T I?!” 

“No…” he answered, but even he knew there was no conviction behind is answer, “Okay fine. Like once after I got divorced. And if you tell anyone that I’ll tell them you dream of Smitty.” 

“I have never once dreamt of Smitty!” 

“What on earth are you guys talking about?” He heard Jackson laugh in the background. 

“Sexy dreams.” 

“Oh boy, Lucy this is why I took your damn phone.” He shook his head, “And for the record, she does have a thing for authority!” He shouted, hoping maybe to push things forward in the will they won’t they saga. 

“Shh!” She yelled at Jackson. 

“What?” 

“Ah, and the truth comes out.” Tim spoke through the phone, “Something you want to share with me, Luce?” He used his newer nickname for her. It had slipped out only a few months ago, and continued to more frequently, almost like a term of subconscious endearment. 

“I - uh - nope.” She popped the ‘p’, guilt and possibly embarrassment riddled in her tone. 

“Uh hu.” Tim chuckled, deciding to give her a pass, “Got any new victims lined up for the evening? Or just me?” 

“Just you.” Lucy smiled, a flirtatious edge in her town. 

“I’m gonna remember that next time I’m drunk.” He shot back with a smile. He knew this conversation was verging on toeing the line territory, but didn’t want to stop. She wasn’t his rookie anymore, hadn’t been for awhile, so there was no real harm in it. 

“You get drunk, Sergeant Bradford?” 

“Rarely, but next time I do, even if it’s 3 am you’re getting a phone call.” He promised with a laugh. 

“I bet you’re a fun drunk. That hard ass demeanor just floats away and leaves you… hmmm… either full blown frat boy or flirtatious ladies man. Which one is it?” She asked, obviously entertained by the whole line of questioning. 

“Depends on who I’m with.” He shrugged, sitting up in his bed and clicking the light on. He had a feeling this conversation wasn’t ending anytime soon. He knew he should end it, they both had to work tomorrow and obviously she was going to be feeling a little rough, but hell, they could both be tired together. 

“If you’re with me?” She said as Jackson mouthed that he was going to bed and proceeded to make multiple inappropriate hand gestures. She smiled and threw a couch pillow at him. 

“Depends on who else is around.” He said before he realized what those words meant. 

“Just us.” She challenged. 

“Let’s just say I’m pretty sure I’d get myself into some trouble.” He said before he realized what he was saying. 

“Ooooh what kind of trouble?” Her voice got low, interested in where this was going. She was just drunk enough to feel confident, but sober enough to know she was okay with wherever this went. 

“Do you actually want me to answer that question?” He asked more seriously. 

She paused, a nervous but welcomed flutter apparent in her chest. Now or never. “Yeah, Tim. I do.” 

“You are an absolutely beautiful woman Lucy, inside and out. Uninhibited, I would lose the little restraint I have left.” He said quietly, nervously; a tone she wasn’t used to hearing on the ever confident Bradford. 

She was quiet for a moment, absorbing his words, processing them and what they meant. “With you, that sounds like the best kind of trouble.” She said under her breath. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah, Tim.” She confirmed. 

That’s when he knew. It was permission to acknowledge whatever what was going on between them. “You gonna remember this tomorrow?” 

“Every word.” She smiled. 

“Good.” He said, “Now, as much as I could sit here and talk to you all night, I do have to work tomorrow and my partner is probably going to be quite hungover. At least one of us should be functional.” He teased. 

“Rude. I drank water.” 

“Go to bed, Luce.” He chuckled, “And take an Advil.” 

“Goodnight, Bradford.” She said like she was annoyed, but he knew she wasn’t.

“Sweet dreams, I hope for your sake they don’t include Smitty.” 

“Oh, the object of my dream affections is much more handsome,” she teased, “Tall, blue eyes, kind of an ass, likes to bark orders.” 

“Wonder who that could be.” He said, his voice low and husky. 

“Hmmm… guess you’ll just have to think about it and let me know your guess tomorrow.” She laughed, “Goodnight, Tim.” 

“Goodnight.” He ended the call, realizing what had just happened. Flopping back down in his bed, he smiled to himself. He had forgotten to silence his phone last night and he was sure as hell glad he did. 

— 

Walking into roll call, Tim walked up to Lucy who looked like she was struggling a bit. When she lifted her head off the table though, she smiled, a silent question if they were still on the same page. 

“Morning.” He smiled back, placing the big, sugary coffee and breakfast sandwich he had picked up for her in arm’s reach. 

“Oh my God, my hero.” She perked up immediately, causing him to laugh. “I don’t think I slept.” 

“No?” He asked; he too hadn’t slept, the thoughts in his head of her and where they were finally going having given him new life. 

“I was a little distracted.” She looked at him, sipping the coffee with a happy sigh. 

“Yeah? By what?” 

“Troublemakers.” She smirked. 

He laughed knowingly before speaking, “You busy tonight?” he asked quietly, turning so Jackson couldn’t eavesdrop until they talked about what all this meant. 

“Nope.” 

“Think that hangover will ease up enough for dinner?” 

“Definitely.” She nodded, speaking in a hushed tone, like it was their little secret. 

“Gonna be a long day Officer Chen,” Tim smiled at her, speaking a little louder to get Jackson and Angela off their tail. 

“That it is.” She leaned back in her chair as he sat down next to her, covering her smile with the coffee he had brought her. 

“For the record,” He leaned close enough that she could feel his breath on her neck as roll call started, speaking low he whispered, “I didn’t sleep either thinking about what you were dreaming about.” 

She turned just enough to catch his gaze before he backed up, the twinkle in his eye causing her to blush and bite her lip. It was going to be a long day indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I don't know where this came from, but I had way too much fun with it. Hope you enjoy!


End file.
